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A woman rests near rubble in the Syrian town of Darat Izza in Aleppo Province on February 28.
A woman rests near rubble in the Syrian town of Darat Izza in Aleppo Province on February 28.

Live Blog: Tracking Islamic State

Follow all of the latest developments as they happen.

Latest News For February 29

-- The United States Army's elite Delta Force is on the verge of beginning operations to target, capture or kill top IS operatives in Iraq, after several weeks of covert preparation, an administration official with direct knowledge of the force's activities told CNN.

-- Syrian government forces have regained control of a road used by the army to access Aleppo, after making advances against Islamic State fighters, a monitoring group and state television reported.


-- Authorities in Iraq say the death toll from a double bombing at a market in Baghdad’s Shi’ite neighborhood of Sadr City rose to 73 on February 29 after several critically wounded victims died overnight.

-- Tajik media are reporting that a woman known to be the second wife of Gulmurod Halimov, the fugitive Tajik colonel who defected to the IS group, has left for Syria along with the couple's four young children.

-- The UN is poised to begin delivering aid to people living in besieged areas of Syria, making use of a truce brokered by the United States and Russia. The first deliveries are planned for Feb. 29, with aid due to reach about 150,000 Syrians in besieged areas over the next five days.

-- A truce negotiated between Syrian rebels and the government has caused a dramatic decrease in airstrikes around rebel-held territory, but there were few celebrations, with many residents suspecting a trick, CNN report.

* NOTE: Live blog posts are time-stamped according to Central European Time (CET).

12:07 21.1.2016

Arab, Kurdish Forces To Get More Support In Fight Against IS

French President Francois Hollande has said that Arab and Kurdish forces in Iraq and Syria would be given more support to help them retake IS strongholds.

"The (military) strategy comes through the liberation of the cities of Raqqa and Mosul," Hollande said in a New Year's address to French and foreign ambassadors.

12:55 21.1.2016

Turkish PM Says Russia Trying To Undermine Syria Talks

Turkey's Prime Minister Ahmet Davutolgu has accused Russia and others of trying to undermine peace talks in Syria by including groups like the Syrian Kurdish People's Protection Units (YPG) militia.

12:58 21.1.2016

Air Strikes Against IS Will Accelerate: Hollande

French President Francois Hollande has said that air strikes against the IS group will accelerate in the coming months.

13:00 21.1.2016

No 'Fundamental Delay' In Syria Talks: Kerry

U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry says there will be no "fundamental delay" in the internationally-brokered peace talks between the Syrian government and opposition groups scheduled to begin this month.

"When you say a delay, it may be a day or two for invitations, but there is not going to be a fundamental delay. The process will begin on the 25th and they will get together and see where we are," Kerry told reporters in Davos this morning.

13:13 21.1.2016

Video Shows Extent Of Destruction In Syria's Homs

Video footage shows the extent of destruction in the Syrian city of Homs since the Syrian civil war began.

13:48 21.1.2016

U.S.-Led Coalition Concentrating On Iraq In Air Strikes

The U.S.-led coalition has concentrated on Iraq in its latest air strikes against the IS group, its latest announcement shows.

On January 20, the coalition carried out 16 strikes against IS in Iraq and Syria -- 15 of those strikes were in Iraq and just one targeted militants in Syria, near Deir al-Zor.

13:50 21.1.2016

IS has built a new prison near its Libyan stronghold of Sirte, the Alwasat news site reports, citing a security source.

13:51 21.1.2016

IS Shelling Of Ras Lanuf 'A Disaster': NOC

Libya's National Oil Company has called today's renewed attacks by the IS group on oil storage tanks in the port of Ras Lanuf a "disaster."

13:53 21.1.2016

IS has released disturbing images of punishments and the execution-style killing of aLibyan National Army (LNA) fighter in its stronghold of Sirte.

13:57 21.1.2016

UN Envoy to Libya Martin Kobler has tweeted about this morning's attack by IS militants on oil storage tanks at Ras Lanuf.

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